Vice President's Secretariat
Text of the Vice-President’s Address at Sainik School, Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan 
Good morning all of you!
That is Sainik school spirit, I am charged and you all are surcharged. Maj. Gen. R.S. Godara, Chairman, I am personally grateful to him, He has shown deep connection to Sainik School, it was with his motivation that as Vice-President, I could make it to Sainik School, Chittorgarh after seven decades, I am grateful to him. Maj. Gen. Satbir, I had the occasion to work with him when I was Governor, State of Bengal, He is an alumnus of Sainik School Chittorgarh, but took me to Sainik School Purulia, a memorable visit.Col. Anuraj Mahajan, he has spinal strength in the shape of his spouse, and in togetherness I am sure they will be contributing to turn around the school to be one of the leading Sainik Schools to come up.
Members of the faculty, staff, students, friends and most importents boys and girls , मुझे वह दिन याद आ गए जब पहली बार मैं सैनिक स्कूल गया था। गांव से गया था, शहर को देखा नही था। एकदम नया वातावरण दिखा। That was a big change in my life, that was a turning point. That was the foundation of all that I am today. I therefore congratulate you for getting this quality education. This quality education is very different from education available elsewhere. I have seen, जो भी सैनिक स्कूल से निकलता है जहाँ भी कहीं जाता है, फौज में जाए, सिविल सर्विस में जाए, राजनीति में जाए, सामाजिक कार्य में जाए, leaves his print for lifetime. You are the future of this country; you will shape this country. But boys and girls, you are lucky. You are fortunate that you are here at a time when India is rising as never before, rise of India is unstoppable, we are going to world's number one when we celebrate centenary of our independence in 2047. और यह संभव क्यों होगा? कैसे होगा? उसको संभव आपलोग करेंगे। Your commitment, your directional approach, your service to society will make Bharat ever proud!
कभी सोचा था कि भारत इतिहास रचेगा, 23 August, at 6.04 PM in the evening, Chandrayan 3 had a soft landing. Successful landing. History was created! India became one of the four countries to have this distinction, but the only country in the world to have the honour of landing on the south pole of the moon. We have Shiv Shakti imprinted on the moon where Chandrayan 3 landed. The map of the moon has been indelibly scripted by our scientists and vision of our Prime Minister. Another location, Tiranga, also scripted because Chandrayan 2 was there.
Let me share an instance with you. 2019, I was Governor of West Bengal. Chandrayaan 2 was supposed to land on moon after midnight, after 2 am. I went to Science City, Kolkata, I invited hundreds of young students like you, boys and girls, we were watching live, we were directly connected to ISRO, and suddenly we found that the landing was not perfect, there was pindrop silence, and suddenly we see India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he was there at ISRO, he pats the Director, congratulates the 96% success, 4% we will have next time! That is the spirit, that is what we need to understand. मुझे आप से कुछ कहना है, इसमें बहुत महत्वपूर्ण एक मुद्दा है …हमने जो चंद्रयान की सफलता की है, it is qualitatively more significant as compared to other nations. So never fear failure, फेल होने का डर आपकी ताकत को बहुत कम कर देता है, never have tension, never have stress. You will be able to perform much better. At Sainik School, I was always at the top the class, I was always in the fear fear, what will happen if I couldn’t come first? I left the school as the topper. बाद में मुझे पता चला कि एक नंबर पर आजाओ तो ठीक है लेकिन दो नंबर पर भी आजाओ तो भी कोई ज्यादा फर्क नहीं पड़ता है। So develop your personality in an integrated manner.
यह स्कूल की शुरुआत है। It is a good campus. But I will go from here with deep passion and mission to ensure की स्कूल के अंदर फैसिलिटीज में geometrical, incremental progress हो। And I see the determination of the Hon'ble principal in that direction. He will bring it about.
You are the early batches of this institute as I was of Sainik School Chittorgarh. मुझे याद है उस समय सैनिक स्कूल क्या था. Your institution is also bound to rise to that level, it is only a matter of time. In 1989, I was elected to Parliament from Jhunjhunu. I took it upon myself that Jhunjhunu should have a Sainik School for a good reason. This region of the country has contributed human resource to defence forces massively, and has contributed supreme sacrifice also. I advocated having a in Sainik School in Jhunjhunu, for me it is a dream come true, the dream is now a ground reality. I will act as your foot soldier. I will act in a manner that all agencies that can contribute for the growth of this institution- they get to give their contribution. आप लोग एक-एक पल यहां बितायेंगे- that will script your life's journey!
Boys and girls, as an alumnus of Sainik School Chittorgarh, I am honoured to be Vice-President of this country and also Chairman of Rajya Sabha. I invite all the students in seven batches to visit Delhi as my guest, I will make those arrangements. In batches, you will have the occasion to see new Parliament Building, functioning of Parliament, Prime Minister’s Museum, National War Memorial, Bharat Mandapam- and then you will come to know that India is one of the leading countries in the world when it comes to development.
Boys and girls, let me share with you- let me tell you, आप कितनी भाग्यशालि हैं आप उस समय भारत में योगदान दे रहे है जब भारत का डंका पूरी दुनिया में बज रहा है| In September 2022, India became the 5th largest economy in the world और हमने उन अंग्रेजो को पछाड़ा है जिन्होंने हम पर सदियों तक राज करा| By turn of the decade, India will be the third largest economy. एक जमाना था जब लम्बी line लगती थी टिकट्स के लिए हवाई जहाज की टिकट हो बस की टिकट हों राशन कार्ड बनान हो बिजली का बिल पेमेंट करना पड़े लम्बी लिने लगती थी| Now, technological penetration in India has gone upto the village level. दुनिया के अंदर कोई उदाहरण नहीं है जहां 220 करोड़ कोवैक्सीन सर्टिफिकेट लोगो के मोबाइल पर हो यह अमेरिका भी हासिल नहीं कर पाया| Direct transfer of money भ्रस्टाचार को संकुचित करता है | अब पैसा बिना बिचौलिए के आखिरी आदमी तक पहुँचता है|
Our Bharat contributes 46 % of global transactions. In 2022 our direct digital transactions were four times that of USA, UK, France and Germany taken together. You are living in these times. You are living in times where per capita data consumption of internet of Bharat, is more than that of USA and China taken together.
Friends, आज के लिए आपको एक ऐसा माहौल मिल रहा है जहा भारतीय होना दुनिया में एक बहुत बड़े सम्मान की बात है| Think as per your aptitude. Do not get any tension or compulsion. Each of you will contribute for growth of this country. आपको एक अच्छा मौका मिला है, एक अच्छा माहोल मिला है| आप किन किन जगह से यहाँ आये है यह एक शेयरिंग ऑफ़ कल्चर होगा शेयरिंग ऑफ़ कल्चरल स्टाइल होगी और अभी तो शुरुआत है, आपको हर 6 महीने में इस स्कूल की प्रगति में नया आयाम मिलेगा |
मेरे मन में कोई शंका नहीं है, भारत का भविष्य उज्वल है, ये जो महायग हो रहा है इसमें हर कोई आहुति दे रहा है और आपकी आहुति की वजह से…You are the footsoldiers of BHARAT at 2047, आप और आपकी उम्र के boys and girls will decide where India will be in 2047, and I have no doubt that India will be at peak of the world in 2047, और सोचे क्यों नहीं? कौन सा देश है जिसकी इतनी बड़ी संस्कृति हज़ारो साल की संस्कृति? Our civilizational ethos dates back to thousands of years. We had world class institutions- Taxila, Nalanda to name a few. Economically, we were a major player in the world, we were at number one. We are only regaining that position.
आप में से हर एक से मेरी दिल्ली में मुलाकात होगी|
Jai Hind!
Thank You.